The issue of whether to include an 害羞草研究所榦pen mic害羞草研究所� segment at Kelowna city council drew passionate debate at its Feb. 13 morning meeting.

Concerns were raised over setting high expectations that council will act on every issue brought forward by the public, special interest groups, and individuals using it as a platform to spread misinformation or defame others.

害羞草研究所淲hat has changed over the past few years, and I害羞草研究所檝e lived this over the past few weeks, is there is a massive amount of misinformation and outright untruths and lies,害羞草研究所� said Coun. Loyal Wooldridge.

害羞草研究所淚 am not going to sit in this place and create a public forum for people to share information that is incorrect, not true or defamatory.害羞草研究所�

Wooldridge added he is very much in favour of giving the public more opportunities to speak to council.

害羞草研究所淚 think we can do a better job of that for very specific subject matter, but I have extreme concerns about an open mic for anyone to discuss whatever they want without that content being vetted.害羞草研究所�

He referenced the recent controversy over Drag Queen Story Time at the Okanagan Regional Library.

害羞草研究所淭he amount of vitriol that I personally have received of untruths was unacceptable. So if we don害羞草研究所檛 have a measured way of managing that, it can become a mess.害羞草研究所�

Staff told council it would need to set parameters for an open mic segment, and in the event of an extreme example of a defamatory or racist comment, the public mic could be turned off.

While he said he understood the concerns put forth by Wooldridge, and others, Coun. Gord Lovegrove was in favour of implementing an open mic policy.

害羞草研究所淭he big thing is the control of the agenda, that to me is the rub,害羞草研究所� added Lovegrove. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think it害羞草研究所檚 right of council to be controlling what people want to speak to us about. What are we afraid of?害羞草研究所�

During the debate all of council stated that they made themselves accessible to the public, meeting with people individually or with neighbourhood groups on a regular basis.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 sense that the public can害羞草研究所檛 communicate with us,害羞草研究所� said Coun. Luke Stack. 害羞草研究所淚 think the public has great access to council.害羞草研究所�

While the issue prompted much debate in chambers, Coun. Maxine DeHart pointed out that there didn害羞草研究所檛 seem to be much public interest.

害羞草研究所淲e hardly have anybody here,害羞草研究所� she said, noting that only a couple of people were in attendance. 害羞草研究所淥bviously they are not interested because we have been putting this through the media for weeks.害羞草研究所�

After several back-and-forth comments between councillors, a staff recommendation to expand Committee of the Whole meetings to hear public delegations was voted on and passed, with councillors Lovegrove and Ron Cannan voting against.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a tool that has been in place many years and it hasn害羞草研究所檛 been used,害羞草研究所� said Cannan.

He then made a motion to implement open mic sessions on a six-month trial basis.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 more access and one more positive step for the public.害羞草研究所�

The motion was defeated by council.

READ MORE: Kelowna council to ponder public comments at regular meetings

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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